Tackling Tokyo #3: Mind-blowing tempura, immersive Insta-art and the quest for vintage video arcades
Tsukiji Fish Market - Ginza - TeamLabPlanet - Akihabara
Tokyo is a city of contradictions, futuristic yet traditional all at once. Days there feel like time travel. And all you need to do to enter another era is hop on the metro (where we are going we don’t need DeLoreans).
While the following Tokyo destinations don’t have to be combined into a one day itinerary, they are quite the combo if they are.
(If you are new to this newsletter, welcome. Make sure you read Tackling Tokyo #1 and Tackling Tokyo #2 for the full lowdown.)
Ginza
Along with the central Shinjuku and Shibuya districts, Ginza is high on the list of neighbourhoods that deliver the mega-modern Tokyo scenes many of us expect.
Home to huge flagship stores of Japan’s best-known brands, such as Uniqlo and Muji, vast department stores and the majority of the city’s luxury designer boutiques, this smart, upmarket shopping and entertainment district is also heralded for its stunning modern architecture.
Most shops here don’t open until 11am, so it’s a great place to start your day after a lazy jetlagged morning or bakery breakfast.
Tsukiji Outer Fish Market
Quite the contrast to Ginza but sitting just to its south is the bustling Tsukiji Outer Market. The legendary Tsukiji Fish Market’s wholesale inner market may have moved to a more modern site at Toyosu Market, but the Outer Market is very much still alive and kicking.
It’s a serious must-visit for foodies, especially if you like seafood, thanks to some of the city’s best sushi restaurants (generally open for breakfast and lunch), seemingly infinite street food stalls and the kind of tempura restaurants that Japanophile’s dream of.
We marvelled at massive crab claws and joined a bustling queue for sugary strawberries on sticks, before seeking out a side street tempura place I’d read about on a few “Tokyo’s best tempura rice bowls” lists.
Tempura Kurokawa was everything I hoped for and more. Hidden on the far edge of the Outer Market area, seconds away from the main road that marks its end, the discreet entrance is marked only by a small curtained door and a few folded seats outside for queuing guests.
This tiny restaurant only has 5 seats at the bar in front of the chef and about 3 tables for 4. But we struck it lucky and when we arrived, only the elderly owners were present. After making it clear we all had to order something, we were welcomed in by the wife, as her husband stood prepping in the kitchen.
We ordered the much-recommended scallop and prawn tempura tendon, along with tempura ice cream for the youngest, for fear of her ordering something more adventurous only to refuse it and cause offence.
The food was fast, fresh and delicious and at 1500 Yen offered great value for money.
It’s hard to find, they don’t speak English and its cash only, but no doubt that all contributes to why this place still feels like a total hidden gem. We loved it.
teamLab Planets
Start to research Tokyo on any social media platform and you are certain to be spammed with content from the futuristic immersive art facility called teamLab Planets. It’s like Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirror Rooms ramped up for the content creation generation.
While it’s arguably more photo opportunity than art appreciation, these nine rooms of digital art installations are brilliantly bonkers… from rooms where the experience involves wading through water, to disorientating light-filled displays bouncing off mirrored floors (probably best not to wear a skirt).
Pre-booking is essential and you can still expect a queue to enter at your time slot, but once you are in you can go around as many times as you like. Tickets available to buy up to three months in advance.
Akihabara
Tokyo’s video game arcades feature in everything from Lost in Translation to Tokyo Vice and seeking out some great gaming was on the entire family’s must-do list.
Packed with arcades and home to all things manga, anime and gaming, Akihabara known as “Electric Town”, was our destination of choice.
While the kids had seen MANY YouTube videos about venues boasting vast selections of toy crane grabbers and old school games, I don’t think it’s unfair to say the majority of the gaming centres here aren’t aimed at children.
Many of the floors of the famous GiGO building (formally SEGA) are busy with adults playing a mix of retro Japanese language games, slot machines and crane machines with surprisingly saucy anime character prizes. But there are more family-friendly and international visitor spaces and games to be found.
In our limited experience, the best concentration of gaming that appeal to all the family (or even just a non-Japanese eye/ear) was found in the GiGo 3 building. While it’s smaller than buildings 1 & 2 as the name would suggest, there’s a dedicated retro game floor (6th), as well as ample amazing modern drumming games, where watching others have a go is almost as much fun as playing yourself.
For grabber style toy crane machines, the kids loved Tokyo Leisure Land, where there were lots of cute kawaii prizes to be won (if you have the pennies and patience).
In terms of chains to look out for around Tokyo, Taito Station arcades are everywhere scattered throughout the city and usually offer a good mix of games with family-friendly options (in fact Taito Station Fuchu Kururu was awarded a Guinness World Record for having the most toy cranes in the world when it opened in 2020).
I would say that while Akihabara was an interesting sight to behold, unless you are mad into gaming and/or you are child-free and have plenty of time, you might just want to get your video game kicks at one of the gaming centres you’ll find in all the main tourist districts. Or even stick to the gashapon toy machines, that often have their very own stores and are EVERYWHERE.
My fourth and final Tokyo write up will be next Tackling Tokyo #4: Ueno - Yanaka - Senso-ji - Tokyo Skytree. Before we move on to Kyoto and Osaka, before eventually leaving Japan for good. Until next time…
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